


Mineekas Blooms: A Change (Episode Two)

by Delcesca_Newby



Series: Mineekas Blooms [2]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-05-27 11:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15023372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delcesca_Newby/pseuds/Delcesca_Newby
Summary: Mineekas has always longed to explore. Now that she's a goddess, will Hades let her go?





	1. Chapter One

Fat tears rolled down the child’s red, swollen cheeks. She blubbered, though Mineekas couldn’t hear any of her beggings. Her voice had been silenced so not to unnerve Mineekas. At least that was the intent, but it didn’t work. In fact, the lack of noise had the opposite effect. Twice already, Mineekas had thrown up in her mouth because of the spectacle. Her hands shook, a fact she tried to hide by clasping them behind her back. 

“Try again,” said the tall, willowy goddess who stood behind the restrained child. Her teal-tinted lips pressed into a thin line.

“No, I can’t do this.” 

Hecate growled, and a non-existent breeze ruffled her multi-shades-of-blue locks and the black empire waist dresses she favored. “Another test subject?” 

The Magic Goddess waved her hand over the child and showered her with a cloud of white sparks. The child struggled harder as the cloud engulfed her. It dissipated a second later, and an elderly man now sat in the chair. He bucked against the invisible restraints keeping him in place, but no mortal could break Hecate’s magic. Most gods couldn’t, either. 

“This do the trick?” Hecate crossed her arms. “It’d better. I’m running out of models, and patience.” 

Mineekas shook her head. No model would make the task Hecate pushed her to perform easier. Mineekas wanted to believe it was because the models were too life-like, but the problem was more significant than that. 

Ever since she’d gotten her Purpose two weeks ago, Mineekas had sulked and hadn’t once tried exercising her new powers. She wouldn’t utter it out loud, but she hated her Purpose. She couldn’t forgive the Fates for giving her an ability that harmed mortals. 

“Why not? You need to learn. You’ll make too many mistakes otherwise.” 

Mineekas backed up, her aim her bedroom door. “I’m not feeling well. I think...my Purpose is taking longer to settle, and it’s making me...sick. Come back in a few days. I’ll...I’ll be better then.” 

In less time than it took Mineekas to blink, Hecate had crossed the room and stood in front of her. She reached out and took hold of Mineekas’ left elbow; rendered her immobile. If Mineekas had a better handle on her Purpose, she’d stand a chance of shaking off the older, stronger goddess, but as it was, she was as capable as a newborn. 

“I’m not leaving here until you evoke your Purpose.” 

Mineekas couldn’t meet Hecate’s enraged, bottle-green glare. “I don’t want to get sicker.” 

Hecate smirked. “I have several potions on me that will right your health in five minutes.”

“I, uh, told my father I’d—” 

Hecate flung Mineekas’ arm away. “Why are you refusing?”

Mineekas couldn’t answer. No matter how she worded it, Hecate would consider her explanation an insult. 

“Do you think you’re better than us under-dwellers?” Hecate pressed. 

“No!” 

It appalled Mineekas that the goddess she thought of as another an aunt, the one being she’d spent more time with than her parents and almost as much time as she had with Admasan, could think that. The Underworld was her home, and though the environment was rough, Mineekas considered herself lucky to have grown up here. 

Yet...

The fear Mineekas had been circling since The Deciding reared its ugly head, and this time she couldn’t ignore it. While Mineekas saw nothing wrong with under-dwellers, she didn’t want to live like one, confined to below the Earth’s crust. She’d known this before going to Mount Olympus, but her brief trip to the Upperworld had cemented it. 

While Mineekas had been born to Upperworld parents, she couldn’t be sure her Underworld Purpose wouldn’t override that and trap her. Mineekas thought if she didn’t indulge it, kept it weak, she wouldn’t lose the freedom she had. 

But Hecate wouldn’t understand that. She didn’t mind her connection to the Underworld; in fact, had willingly given up her upper-dweller status. Unlike many under-dwellers, she could stay on the Upperworld for long stretches of time. Yet she rarely did. Not much there interested her, though she did find disturbing pleasure in tormenting mortals. Luckily, she respected Hades too much to cause the terror she longed for.

For the most part that was true. Every once in a century or so, the Magic Goddess did raise a ruckus that Hades had to clean up. 

Hecate took a deep breath. “You know Kore would want—” 

Mineekas thin control over her bubbling frustration snapped. Over the years, whenever Mineekas acted differently than the Magic Goddess liked, she’d always let slip Persephone’s first name. As a young godling, it hadn’t bothered as much as it had when she’d entered puberty when she’d realized Hecate didn’t say it as a compliment. That her aunt had used it to convince Mineekas to behave in ways she might not have otherwise. 

Persephone had eventually taken notice and talked to Hecate about it. While the Magic Goddess’ comparisons had lessened, she’d never fully stopped. 

“I’m not Kore, and neither is my mother!” 

Hecate snapped her fingers, and the struggling model Mineekas had almost forgotten about in her anger disappeared. Her sternly-featured face contorted into an ugly mask, made more upsetting by the unsettling grey-purple color of her skin. Dark sparks popped around Hecate’s pupils. 

Mineekas’ heart dropped to her stomach. She’d only ever seen the Magic Goddess this angry one other time. A cocky daemon had challenged her for her Purpose (an action that could happen, though almost no one considered the idea). The idiot hadn’t lived for more than five seconds. 

“No, you’re right. That comparison was unfair.” Hecate’s voice was calm but bitter cold. “You’ll never be as good as she was.” 

On that note, Hecate stormed out of Mineekas’ room. 

Mineekas stood in the middle of her marble floor for many minutes after Hecate had gone. She tried to keep the sting of the Magic Goddess’ words at bay, but in the end, couldn’t. They finally pierced her, and she broke down in tears. 

Damn the Fates and their disastrous decision!


	2. Chapter Two

After Hecate left, Mineekas flung herself onto her bed and bawled into her pillows for over an hour. What was she going to do? She’d never thought her life would be this complicated now that she’d become a full-fledged goddess. 

Maybe she could have accepted her Purpose if it wasn’t so harsh to mortals. In all her predictions about what the Fates would bestow upon her, Mineekas had never considered a cruel Purpose. She couldn’t bring herself to harm a mortal. Often, she’d chastised the staff for the way they treated the spirits. 

Why had the Fates chosen her for this? Did they want her to fail? Could her dilemma bring them joy? Would the Fates act so childishly? 

A knock on her door drew Mineekas from her misery. 

“I’m fine!” 

The knocking continued. 

Mineekas sighed and crawled out of bed. She went to her door, now curious who would be so adamant about seeing her. No servant would unless it was Admasan, but she was staying with an old friend, a harpy who lived in a cabin by the Lethe on the edge of the Fields. Admasan wouldn’t return to the palace until next week. 

Could Hecate have returned? If she had, it wouldn’t be to apologize. She’d have come to teach Mineekas a lesson, no doubt a curse that would plague Mineekas until Hecate’s anger cooled. 

At the door, Mineekas considered not answering. Hecate wouldn’t hurt her, at least not do anything that would leave permanent damage. Yet whatever the Magic Goddess had planned would make Mineekas wish she was dead. 

But if she ignored Hecate, her punishment would be worse. 

Mineekas sighed again and opened the door. 

Fortune smiled on her. The Magic Goddess didn’t stand beyond the threshold. Though the individual Mineekas encountered could be just as fearsome. 

From the look on his face, she knew she wouldn’t enjoy this meeting.

“Father?” 

Hades inclined his head. “May I enter?” 

If she refused, her father would respect her wishes. In her short years, neither of her parents had visited her room often. They only did when they felt they absolutely needed to, and, always, Mineekas had granted them entry. 

This time she hesitated, but for a second. Hades noticed, though, and frowned even as Mineekas stepped aside. “Of course, Father.” 

Hades marched inside; the dark, imposing robe he wore over the jeans and collared shirts he preferred whispered across her werewolf fur rug. He pointed at her desk chair (still in the middle of the room), and Mineekas nodded. Her father sat while she reclaimed her bed. 

Mineekas couldn’t meet her father’s intense gaze. “What do I owe this visit?” 

She already knew, but she didn’t know what else to say. Mineekas hated that her father had felt compelled to leave his work. While the Underworld could function without its king for twenty minutes, no one liked the hiccups that always occurred when he stepped out. 

“I hear you’re having difficulties wielding your Purpose.” 

Mineekas almost laughed. By no means had Hecate described their failed training session in that way. Not that Mineekas minded her father’s revision. He made the sting more manageable. 

“Yeah,” Mineekas replied as she picked at her blankets. 

“You could have had better behavior dealing with Hecate.” 

“I know, but she...She won’t stop pushing me.”

“Like your mother and me, she just wants the best for you.” 

Mineekas frowned. “There is no ‘best’ with my situation. I’m screwed.” 

Hades regarded her for a minute. “Many gods aren’t happy with the Fates’ verdict.” 

“Can that be said about you?” 

“There are days I struggle.” 

Her father’s Purpose wasn’t as bad as hers, though. Oh, boo, his powers dealt with the Earth’s valuables. What was the worse he had to deal with? Demands for priceless gems? 

“You didn’t want an Underworld Purpose, did you?” 

Mineekas jumped. Why Hades’ bluntness continued to surprise her, even though he’d displayed it all her life, she couldn’t say? He was one of the few gods who respected the truth enough to state and face it. 

“Well, I...”

She considered lying to him. He may not have been made of the Underworld, but Hades belonged here. He’d expressed many times the few things he missed about the Upperworld (like the sun and the rivers with non-punishing water), yet Hades had stressed how he couldn’t imagine having made anywhere else his home. 

What would Mineekas gain by being insincere, though? She’d made her opinions clear over the years, even if she’d never stated them out loud. Hades may not have spent as much time with her as he’d wished, but her father had excellent observations skills. 

“I just don’t want to be here all the time.” 

“Your Purpose does encourage interaction with mortals. You’ll have to leave the Underworld to do so.” 

Mineekas stiffened. “Sometimes...”

“I’d wager you’re more upset about the distress you’re encouraged to inflict on mortals.” 

“Yeah...” 

Hades settled back in the chair. “It’s uncomfortable to perform necessary ill towards others.” 

Mineekas shook her head. “How is inflicting terror on mortals while they sleep necessary?” 

A soft chuckle escaped Hades. “Maybe I should have let you into the judging chamber a time or two.” 

“Why?” 

“The spirits you’ve interacted with have either lost most their memories or only chose to focus on their dreams. It’s not until they’re being Judged do they realize how their nightmares shaped them.” 

“For the worst.” 

“In some cases, yes, but many find their nightmares aided them, even if they can’t admit it until after their deaths.” Hades smiled. “You have the opportunity to improve mortals.”

“I don’t want them to hate me, and they will.” 

Hades rubbed his chin as he thought for a silent five minutes. As he did, Mineekas watched him, and her heart hammered. What ideas swirled around his mind? She knew his unhappiness with her hadn’t faded much during their talk (no thanks to her whiny tone), and she worried he devised the best way to discipline her. 

When she’d been a godling, he’d sometimes joked about sending her to Tartarus for a few months to work alongside the daemons that doled out the eternal sentences for the spirits who’d been the most horrible in life. Could he settle on that decision now? Would Hades feel it worthy treatment of a reluctant goddess? 

Mineekas’ terrified curiosity reached its cusp just as Hades finally straightened and looked at her. No emotion contorted his features, and his eyes were oddly vacant. Mineekas’ breath caught. 

“Y-yes?” 

“I want to make you a deal.”


	3. Chapter Three

“What sort of deal?”

“Since I can recall, you’ve had a deep fascination with mortals.”

If worry didn’t grip Mineekas so thoroughly, she’d have laughed at her father’s understatement. Her interest in mortals bordered on obsessive. Her room was decorated with trinkets Persephone or Hermes had gotten her over the years. Mineekas didn’t care what they got her. Postcards, bottle tops, license plates, stuffed animals, key chains; she loved it all. Often, she heard the servants complain about their princess’ intense focus on the Upperworld, but she ignored them. She didn’t think her pursuits were as worrisome as everyone made them out to be. 

“You could say that.” 

Humor sparked in the depths of Hades’ otherwise blank stare. “Yes, well, I believe it’s time to satiate your longings.”

Mineekas’ stomach flipped. “What are you saying, father?” 

“I want you to...spend time in the Upperworld, living amongst the mortals.”

Mineekas pawed at her ears. She couldn’t have heard her father right. He hadn’t just offered to make her wildest dream come true. 

“Are you—Is this a genuine proposal?” 

The question was absurd. Mineekas knew Hades never said what he didn’t mean, and he’d always stressed to Mineekas not to toy with individuals. Some under-dwellers claimed that a too-honest king was unsavory, but most of the Underworld didn’t share that view. In fact, from what Mineekas understood, her father’s sincerity is what had won him the crown.

“Yes.” 

“Oh, father, I—” Gratitude overcame her, and Mineekas couldn’t form words anymore. Tears spilled down her face. 

On impulse, she launched herself into her father’s arms. If Mineekas had done this outside the palace living quarters, Hades would have stiffened and asked her to release him (the daemons didn’t mind public displays of emotion, but, for some reason, they bristled when they saw their king perform them). Yet, in private, Hades lavished on his daughter and wife all the attention he kept bottled up. This time was no different. 

Hades locked his arms around Mineekas and squeezed her so tight her lungs protested, but she didn’t demand release. All her life, she’d known her father loved her and would move the heavens and Earth for her, but she didn’t often get to lavish in Hades’ affections. The older she’d gotten, and the denser the mortal population became, the less she’d seen or even interacted with her father.

The pair stayed in each other’s arms for many minutes, then Hades broke his hold. He pulled Mineekas back and studied her. After a moment, he smiled and wiped away her tears.

“How long would you like to stay?” 

“I-I don’t know. I never thought you’d let me go.” 

Hades nodded. “The prospect terrifies me, I’ll confess. The Underworld is far from safe, but you fair better down here than in the Upperworld. Earth, especially, is a volatile place better left to more experienced gods—if even them.” 

Mineekas frowned. Could her father be talking himself out of his decision? 

“But?” she pressed. 

Hades sighed. “But...You’re intelligent, more knowledgeable about mortals than many of your peers, and, though you may not want to hear this, your Purpose is incredibly powerful. Unless an elder god or Olympian mess with you, I don’t have much worry about you handling any situation you come up against.”

“Does this mean...Are you sending me on my own?” 

The prospect intrigued Mineekas. When she daydreamed about residing in the Upperworld, she pictured it being just herself. Occasionally, she may include Persephone (even Demeter had crept in once, though her mind had shut down that idea quickly), but she mostly envisioned herself taking on the Upperworld alone. Most gods stayed on Mount Olympus, and many monsters had either gone extinct or remained in their remote parts of the world.

If Mineekas hadn’t made a secret enemy or didn’t act extremely foolish, she didn’t have much to fear. 

“No.” 

“But—” 

Hades held up his hand. “I know quite a few gods, and goddesses, that will pounce on you if they hear you’re unattended.” 

“Why?” 

“They can’t get to me, so you’re the second-best choice.” 

“You’d retaliate, though. Right?” 

“With the full force of the Underworld, but that wouldn’t change the damage done to you.” Hades shook his head when Mineekas tried to protest again. “No, my word is final. If you want to go to the Upperworld, you must have an escort.” 

Mineekas swallowed her argument. If she pressed too hard, her father would take the offer off the table entirely, and probably force her to act as Hecate’s personal servant for a year. Though having an escort made her feel like a godling, she preferred that over being at the mercy of the Magic Goddess. 

“Fine. Who do you have in mind?”

She ran through a list, a very short list, of under-dwellers that may be persuaded to go to the Upperworld to babysit the princess. Mineekas held back a groan. No one she got along with well would want to come, though she couldn’t blame them. Half of their luggage was going to consist of the salve under-dwellers had to always wear when on the Upperworld unless they wanted to risk death. 

“I don’t want to draw too much attention to you, so I think one will be enough. At least for now.” 

“Okay. Who?” 

“Pharcill.” 

Mineekas bit her lip. “Who’s tha—” Her eyes widened. “No.”

“He’s not an under-dweller, and he has no choice but to do as I order.”

“Yes, but he’s...He’s been sentenced here for a good reason.” 

For the past fifty years, Pharcill, a nymph of excitements and son of Eris, had been sent to the Underworld by Hera for his hand in convincing Heracles to stray outside of his marriage and break Hebe’s heart. The God Queen had wanted to kill the nymph, but Zeus had swayed her to a less rash decision (while Eris might not seem to care much for her children, she looked for any excuse to mess with the Olympians. Killing her son would have fueled her like much else couldn’t). 

Hades shrugged. “It’s either you go with him, or you stay here.”

Mineekas hated the terms of this deal, but she couldn’t see much sense in declining. The worst Pharcill could do was annoy her, yet she planned to stay so busy she’d hardly have time to see him, let alone hold a conversation with him. Lest Hades ordered the nymph to remain glued to her side, Mineekas shouldn’t have too much trouble with him. 

She held out her hand. “Okay.” 

Hades squeezed her fingers, then stood. “You leave in two days.” 

He left, and Mineekas hurried to pack.


End file.
